Why Is Seed Production So Variable among Individuals? A Ten-Year Study with Oaks Reveals the Importance of Soil Environment

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 12; p. e115371
• Main Authors: Pérez-Ramos, Ignacio M., Aponte, Cristina, García, Luis V., Padilla-Díaz, Carmen M., Marañón, Teodoro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 22.12.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agriculture; Analysis; Annual variations; Biology and Life Sciences; Drought; Ecosystem; Forests; Granivory; Heterogeneity; Hypotheses; Insects; Interannual variability; Oak; Oaks; Plant reproduction; Population; Population Dynamics; Predators; Productivity; Quercus - growth & development; Quercus canariensis; Quercus suber; Rain; Recruitment; Reproductive effort; Satiety; Seed industry; Seeding; Seeds; Soil - chemistry; Soil dynamics; Soil ecology; Soil environment; Soil fertility; Soil moisture; Soils; Species; Temporal variations; Time Factors; Trees; Variability

Mast-seeding species exhibit not only a large inter-annual variability in seed production but also considerable variability among individuals within the same year. However, very little is known about the causes and consequences for population dynamics of this potentially large between-individual var...